Tape cutter

Abstract

To provide a tape cutter in which a cover member for exposing and covering a cutting blade can be easily operated and an unintentional movement of a cover member is reduced.SOLUTION: A tape cutter 1 has a tape cutter body 10 equipped with a cutting blade, and a cover member 30 that switches between covering and exposing the cutting blade 15, the cover member 30 has a plate spring part 32, and a locked part 33 and a pressing part 34 provided on the plate spring part 32, the tape cutter body 10 has a first lock part 61 that locks the locked part 33 so as to cover the cutting blade in advancing of the cover member 30, and a second lock part 62 that locks the locked part 33 so as to expose the cutting blade 15 in retreating of the cover member 30, a center of the pressing part 34 in a front-to-rear direction is located closer to a base end part 32 a side of the plate spring part 32 than the locked part 33 and is provided closer to a locked part 33 side than a midpoint of the distance from the base end 32a to the locked part 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tape cutter.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been disclosed a tape cutter that holds OPP tape, kraft tape, etc. used for packaging and the like, and has a cutting blade for cutting the drawn tape. Patent Document 1 discloses a cover member for a cutting blade formed by bending a thin plastic plate. The cover member is provided with a hook portion bent at a substantially right angle so as to be locked to the cutting blade, and a finger-hooking hole for operating the hook portion. The hook portion is biased in a direction of sliding upward from the cutting blade. When covering the cutting blade, insert a finger into the finger-hooking hole against the biasing force to lock the hook portion to the cutting blade. To expose the cutting blade, insert a finger into the finger-hooking hole and once push down the hook portion against the biasing force. Then, the locking between the hook portion and the cutting blade is released, the hook portion rises by the biasing force, and the cutting blade is exposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above conventional tape cutter, since the cover member is disposed on the back side of the tape cutter main body (tape drawing portion), it is necessary to insert a finger into the back side of the hole provided in the tape cutter main body (tape drawing portion) corresponding to the finger-hooking hole to operate the finger-hooking hole. And, since the cover member is biased in a direction in which the hook portion slides upward from the cutting blade, there is a concern that if some impact is applied to the tape cutter and the locking between the hook portion and the cutting blade is released, the cutting blade may be exposed unintentionally.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cutter in which an operation of a cover member for exposing and covering a cutting blade is easy and an unintentional movement of the cover member is reduced.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The tape cutter according to the present invention includes a tape cutter body having a cutting blade, and a cover member that is provided on the tape cutter body so as to be movable back and forth to switch between covering and exposing the cutting blade. The cover member has a leaf spring portion formed in a tongue shape, and a locked portion and a pressing portion provided on the leaf spring portion. The tape cutter body has a first locking portion that locks with the locked portion so as to cover the cutting blade when the cover member moves forward, and a second locking portion that locks with the locked portion so as to expose the cutting blade when the cover member moves backward. A distance from the center of the pressing portion to the base end portion is shorter than a distance from the base end portion to the locked portion.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a tape cutter in which an operation of a cover member for exposing and covering a cutting blade is easy and an unintentional movement of the cover member is reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

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MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Based on the drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The tape cutter 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is capable of mounting an adhesive tape such as an OPP tape or a kraft tape used for packaging or the like. The tape cutter 1 includes a tape cutter main body 10 having a cutting blade 15 and a tape holder 20 for holding the adhesive tape. In the following description, the side of the tape cutter main body 10 where the cutting blade 15 is located is the front, the opposite side is the rear, the side of the tape cutter main body 10 is the upper side, and the side of the tape holder 20 is the lower side. Also, the left side when looking from the rear to the front is the left, and the right side is the right for the description.

[0010] The tape cutter main body 10 is provided with a gripping portion 11 that is substantially convexly curved upward in a side view and is formed in a substantially shell shape. A concave finger receiving portion 11b is formed at the front end portion of the gripping portion 11. A roller 13 for pressing the tape, which abuts against the adhesive tape mounted on the tape holder 20, is rotatably provided on the lower surface of the rear end of the gripping portion 11 of the tape cutter main body 10. Also, a plate-shaped side plate 11a having a substantially arc-shaped tip and protruding downward is provided on the lower left surface of the gripping portion 11. The side surface of the adhesive tape mounted on the tape holder 20 is guided by the side plate 11a.

[0011] A tip portion 12 is provided at the front end of the gripping portion 11 so as to protrude forward. The tip portion 12 includes a holding plate 12a that is flat and has a cutting blade 15 provided at the tip, and substantially triangular left and right side plates 12b and 12c that hang down from both side surfaces of the holding plate 12a. The outer plate surfaces of the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c are continuous with the side surface of the gripping portion 11. On the other hand, the holding plate 12a is connected to the surface of the gripping portion 11 via a stepped portion 12d.

[0012] A cover member 30 is provided on the upper surface of the holding plate 12a of the tip portion 12 so as to be movable back and forth. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover member 30 covers the cutting blade in the forward position, and as shown in FIG. 3, the cutting blade is exposed in the rearward position.

[0013] A guide roller 14 is provided between the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c of the front part 12. The guide roller 14 is rotatably provided on a rotary shaft 22b provided on a tape holder 20 described later.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the tape holder 20 has a flat lower surface and includes a substantially cylindrical tape holding portion 21 with its axis arranged in the left - right direction. At the upper part of the inner surface of the tape holding portion 21, a finger - hanging portion 21a that bulges in the front - rear direction and has a plurality of groove portions is provided. A support plate 22 is provided in front of the tape holding portion 21. The support plate 22 extends forward from the right side of the tape holding portion 21 with its plate surface facing the left - right direction and its tip tapering.

[0015] A rotary shaft 22b is provided on the left side surface of the tip of the support plate 22 so as to protrude leftward. The tip of the rotary shaft 22b is rotatably supported by a hole in the left side plate 12b. A circular convex portion (not shown) is provided on the right side surface of the support plate 22 corresponding to the rotary shaft 22b and is rotatably supported by a concave portion (not shown) provided on the right side plate 12c. Therefore, the rotary shaft 22b is rotatably supported by the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c. Thus, the tape holder 20 is rotatably provided around the rotary shaft 22b with respect to the tape cutter body 10.

[0016] In addition, a substantially arc - shaped guide hole 12c1 is provided in the right side plate 12c, and a pin 22a protruding from the right side surface of the support plate 22 is inserted therein. By moving in the region of the guide hole 12c1, the opening angle between the tape holder 20 and the tape cutter body 10 is regulated. However, as shown in FIG. 4, when attaching the adhesive tape, the pin 22a can escape from the guide hole 12c1, and the opening angle between the tape cutter body 10 and the tape holder 20 can be increased.

[0017] The support plate 22 is provided with an attachment roller 23 attached in parallel with the guide roller 14 so that a gap at a predetermined interval is formed with the guide roller 14. When attaching the adhesive tape to the tape holding portion 21, the tape holder 20 and the tape cutter body 10 are opened wide. Then, the end of the adhesive tape is passed between the guide roller 14 and the attachment roller 23. At this time, the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape is passed between the guide roller 14 and the attachment roller 23 facing the attachment roller 23 side, so that the end of the adhesive tape is attached to the attachment roller 23, and it is possible to reduce the end of the adhesive tape from sticking to the adhesive tape. The attachment roller 23 is formed with a plurality of groove portions, so that the end of the adhesive tape is reduced from completely sticking to the attachment roller 23.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 5, the cover member 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape. The cover member 30 is formed with an opening 31 so as to be open rearward. The opening 31 is provided with a leaf spring portion 32 formed to extend rearward. Near the rear end of the leaf spring portion 32, locked portions 33 are provided in a protruding shape on the left and right sides respectively. Further, the leaf spring portion 32 is provided with a pressing portion 34 so as to protrude from the upper surface of the leaf spring portion 32. The pressing portion 34 has a pressing support portion 34a standing upright from the upper surface of the leaf spring portion 32 and a pressing receiving portion 34b provided at the upper end of the pressing support portion 34a. The pressing receiving portion 34b is formed in a substantially arc shape in a side view and is provided with a predetermined length in the left-right direction. The predetermined length of the pressing receiving portion 34b is smaller than the width of the opening 31 and larger than the width of the leaf spring portion 32. Due to the pressing receiving portion 34b having a substantially arc shape in a side view, the user can press the pressing receiving portion 34b even from the front or an oblique direction from the rear.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 6, on the lower surface of the cover member 30, sliding contact portions 35 formed in a rib shape are provided on both sides of the opening 31. The sliding contact portions 35 include a first sliding contact portion 35a linearly provided in the front-rear direction along the left and right edges of the cover member 30, a second sliding contact portion 35b linearly provided in the left-right direction along the rear edge of the cover member 30 and connected to the first sliding contact portion 35a, a third sliding contact portion 35c linearly provided in the front-rear direction and connected to the second sliding contact portion 35b, and a fourth sliding contact portion 35d linearly provided in the left-right direction from the front side of the first sliding contact portion 35a toward the inside of the cover member 30. The lower surfaces of the sliding contact portions 35 (the first to fourth sliding contact portions 35a to 35d) are formed at the same continuous height.

[0020] At the front ends of the left and right first sliding contact portions 35a, an edge portion 36 formed in a substantially U shape along the edge of the cover member 30 is provided. The edge portion 36 is provided so as to connect the front ends of the first sliding contact portions 35a. The lower surface of the edge portion 36 is provided at a height lower than that of the lower surface of the sliding contact portion 35. On the edge portion 36 on the front side of the left and right first sliding contact portions 35a, hook-shaped first sliding locking portions 37 protruding toward the inside of the cover member 30 when viewed from the front-rear direction are provided. Also, on the front side of the left and right third sliding contact portions 35c, hook-shaped second sliding locking portions 38 with protrusions facing the inside of the cover member 30 are provided.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 7, a cutting blade 15 is provided at the tip of the holding plate 12a, and a cutting blade presser 16 made of a substantially long rectangular sheet metal member long in the left-right direction is provided on the upper surface thereof. The cutting blade presser 16 is fixed to the tip portion 12 (holding plate 12a) by a screw member 16a at a substantially central portion in the left-right direction. The screw member 16a is screwed with a nut 16b on the lower surface of the holding plate 12a (see FIGS. 8 and 9). Note that the screw member 16a can be screwed through a hole portion 39 (see FIG. 6) provided on the front side of the cover member 30. The hole portion 39 has a cover 39a provided from above and is covered. By removing the cover 39a and loosening the screw member 16a, the cutting blade 15 can be pulled out forward. In this way, the cutting blade 15 can be replaced even with the cover member 30 attached.

[0022] The cutting blade retainer 16 is positioned by two pins 12a2 protruding from the upper surface 12a1 of the holding plate 12a and two positioning ribs 12a3 protruding in a rib shape from the upper surface 12a1. The cutting blade retainer 16 is provided with a sliding engaged portion 16c so as to protrude from the left and right edges. The sliding engaged portion 16c is provided at a predetermined interval from the upper surface of the cutting blade 15.

[0023] At the rear side of the cutting blade 15, an opening 12a4 that is long in the front-rear direction is provided at the center in the left-right direction. On the left and right sides of the opening 12a4, upper surfaces 12a5 that are higher than the upper surface 12a1 of the holding plate 12a are formed. At the front end of the upper surface 12a5, a regulating portion 12a51 is formed so as to protrude outward on the left and right. Also, at the rear side of the opening 12a4, a first locking portion 61 is provided so as to enter the left and right upper surfaces 12a5. The first locking portion 61 penetrates in the vertical direction. Further, at portions of the upper surface 12a1 that are adjacent outside the left and right upper surfaces 12a5, openings 12a6 that are long in the front-rear direction are respectively provided.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 8, the left and right edge portions of the opening 12a4 on the lower surface 12a7 of the holding plate 12a are locking portion arrangement surfaces 60. The locking portion arrangement surface 60 is formed of a surface that is lower than the lower surface 12a7. The first locking portion 61 penetrates the locking portion arrangement surface 60. The rear end of the locking portion arrangement surface 60 is a stepped second locking portion 62. On the left and right outer sides of the locking portion arrangement surface 60, concave portions 12a8 that are long in the front-rear direction and are formed in a concave shape from the lower surface 12a7 are provided. Plate-shaped sliding locking portions 12a9 are provided at portions adjacent to the outside of each concave portion 12a8. The lower surface of the sliding locking portion 12a9 is set to be lower than the lower surface 12a7 but slightly higher than the concave portion 12a8. The portions adjacent to the outside of each sliding locking portion 12a9 are openings 12a6. Each sliding locking portion 12a9 is formed corresponding to the opening 12a6.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower surface of the cover member 30, which is the sliding contact surface of the sliding contact portions 35 (the first to fourth sliding contact portions 35a to 35d), slides on the upper surface 12a1 of the holding plate 12a. The second sliding locking portion 38 of the cover member 30 is inserted into the opening 12a6 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), and the hook-shaped protruding portion of the second sliding locking portion 38 is located on the lower surface side of the sliding locking portion 12a9 and is slidably locked to the sliding locking portion 12a9 in the front-rear direction. By the locking between the second sliding locking portion 38 and the sliding locking portion 12a9, the vertical and horizontal movement of the cover member 30 is restricted.

[0026] Also, the first sliding locking portion 37 of the cover member 30 is disposed below the sliding locked portion 16c and is slidably locked in the front-rear direction. By the locking between the first sliding locking portion 37 and the sliding locked portion 16c, the vertical and horizontal movement of the front portion of the cover member 30 is restricted. The lower surface of the first sliding locking portion 37 slides on the upper surface of the cutting blade 15. Further, the fourth sliding contact portion 35d of the cover member 30 is disposed so as to be able to contact the restricting portion 12a51 behind the restricting portion 12a51, and restricts the forward movement of the cover member 30. The backward movement of the cover member 30 is restricted by the contact between the stepped portion 12d of the connection portion between the gripping portion 11 and the tip portion 12 and the rear end of the cover member 30.

[0027] Note that the upper ends of the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c of the tip portion 12 protrude more than the upper surface 12a1 of the holding plate 12a, so that the inner side surfaces of the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c are close to or in contact with the left and right edges of the cover member 30, restricting access of fingers from the left and right edges of the cover member 30.

[0028] When the cover member 30 is advanced until the fourth sliding contact portion 35d abuts against the restricting portion 12a51, as shown in FIG. 8, the locked portion 33 is locked to the first locking portion 61 to cover the cutting blade 15. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, when the cover member 30 releases the locking between the locked portion 33 and the first locking portion 61 and retreats to lock the locked portion 33 to the second locking portion 62, the blade portion of the cutting blade 15 is completely exposed. The cover member 30 is locked and its forward and backward movement is restricted when the locked portion 33 is locked to the first locking portion 61 or the second locking portion 62. Therefore, the possibility that the cover member 30 moves unintentionally and the cutting blade 15 is exposed or covered is reduced. The cover member 30 is provided on the tape cutter main body 10 so as to be movable back and forth, whereby the covering and exposure of the cutting blade 15 (the blade portion at the front end) can be switched.

[0029] The locking and unlocking of the locked portion 33 with the first locking portion 61 and the second locking portion 62 are performed by the pressing operation of the pressing portion 34. FIG. 10 shows a state in which the cover member 30 covers the cutting blade 15. At this time, the locked portion 33 is locked to the first locking portion 61, and the fourth sliding contact portion 35d is close to or in contact with the restricting portion 12a51. When the pressing portion 34 is pressed from this state, as shown in FIG. 11, the cover member 30 can move backward with the locking between the locked portion 33 and the first locking portion 61 released. Then, when the locked portion 33 reaches the second locking portion 62 and the pressing operation of the pressing portion 34 is released, as shown in FIG. 12, the cover member 30 exposes the cutting blade 15. When the locked portion 33 is locked to the second locking portion 62, the rear end of the cover member 30 does not contact the stepped portion 12d, but when the cover member 30 slightly retreats, the rear end of the cover member 30 contacts the stepped portion 12d and the backward movement is restricted (see FIG. 3). To switch the exposed cutting blade 15 to the covered state, the pressing portion 34 may be pressed to release the locking between the locked portion 33 and the second locking portion 62, advance the cover member 30, and lock the locked portion 33 and the first locking portion 61.

[0030] Here, as shown in FIG. 10, the center CL1 in the front-rear direction of the pressing portion 34 is on the base end portion 32a side of the leaf spring portion 32 rather than the engaged portion 33 in the cover member 30, and is provided on the engaged portion 33 side rather than the midpoint P in the distance L from the base end portion 32a to the engaged portion 33. The base end portion 32a is the portion where the leaf spring portion 32 is connected to the main body portion of the cover member 30, and the distance L is defined as the distance from the connection portion to the center CL2 in the front-rear direction of the engaged portion 33.

[0031] The force F1 for pressing the pressing portion 34 becomes lighter when the distance from the base end portion 32a, which is the bending fulcrum of the leaf spring portion 32, is longer. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the release of the engagement between the engaged portion 33 and the first engaging portion 61 or the second engaging portion 62 can be performed by the pushing amount h1 of the pressing portion 34. Here, when the pressing portion 34 is located at a position 34A on the rear side of the pressing portion 34 and corresponding to the engaged portion 33, the pushing amount required to release the engagement between the engaged portion 33 and the first engaging portion 61 or the second engaging portion 62 is h2. As is clear from FIG. 11, h2 > h1. Therefore, by positioning the engaged portion 33 at a position on the rear side (opposite to the base end portion 32a) from the pressing portion 34, although the pressing force becomes slightly larger, the pushing amount can be reduced, and the operability can be improved.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 10, 13(a), and 13(b), for example, when the distance L = 26 mm and the distance from the base end portion 32a to the center CL1 of the pressing portion 34 is 17 mm (the position shown in FIG. 13(b)), if the downward movement amount of the locked portion 33 required for unlocking the locked portion 33 and the first locking portion 61 or the second locking portion 62 is 3.6 mm, the pushing amount h1 = 2.4 mm. On the other hand, when the distance from the base end portion 32a to the center CL1 is the same as the distance L, i.e., 26 mm (i.e., the position of the pressing portion 34A in FIG. 11), h2 = 3.6 mm, and it is necessary to push it in by an extra 1.2 mm, which has an adverse effect on the operability. That is, as shown in FIG. 13(a), the moving distance of the pressing portion 34A is directly the moving distance of the locked portion 33. Further, assuming the force for pushing the pressing portion 34 at the position where h1 = 2.4 mm is F1, and the force for pushing the pressing portion 34 (pressing portion 34A) at the position where h2 = 3.6 mm (the position of the pressing portion 34A in FIG. 11) is F2, since the moment force required for unlocking the locked portion 33 and the first locking portion 61 or the second locking portion 62 is the same, F1×17 mm = F2×26 mm, and F1≒1.5F2. Therefore, even at the position where h1 = 2.4 mm, it only increases by about 1.5 times, so the influence on the operability is small.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present invention, the pressing portion 34 is set at a position where it can be pushed with a light force by making it on the front side of the locked portion 33 to reduce the pushing amount and making it on the rear side of the midpoint in the distance between the base end portion 32a and the locked portion 33. Thereby, the unlocking operation can be performed by pushing the pressing portion 34 with a relatively light force and a relatively small pushing amount.

[0034] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various forms. For example, although the leaf spring 32 extends rearward, it can also be provided to extend forward. However, by providing it to extend rearward as in this embodiment, the entire cover member 30 can be formed compactly.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1 Tape cutter 10 Tape cutter body 11 Gripping part 11a Side plate 11b Finger receiving part 12 Tip part 12a Holding plate 12a1 Upper surface 12a2 Pin 12a3 Positioning rib 12a4 Opening 12a5 Upper surface 12a51 Regulation part 12a6 Opening 12a7 Lower surface 12a8 Concave part 12a9 Sliding locking part 12b Left side plate 12c Right side plate 12c1 Guide hole 12d Step part 13 Roller 14 Guide roller 15 Cutting blade 16 Cutting blade presser 16a Screw member 16b Nut 16c Sliding engaged part 20 Tape holder 21 Tape holding part 21a Finger hook part 22 Support plate 22a Pin 22b Rotation shaft 23 Attachment roller 30 Cover member 31 Opening 32 Leaf spring part 32a Base end part 33 Engaged part 34 Pressing part 34a Pressing support part 34b Pressing receiving part 35 Sliding contact part 35a First sliding contact part 35b Second sliding contact part 35c Third sliding contact part 35d Fourth sliding contact part 36 Edge part 37 First sliding locking part 38 Second sliding locking part 39 Hole part 39a Cover 60 Locking part arrangement surface 61 First locking part 62 Second locking part

Claims

1. A tape cutter body having a cutting blade; a cover member that is provided on the tape cutter body so as to be movable back and forth to switch between covering and exposing the cutting blade; having The cover member has a leaf spring portion formed in a tongue shape, and a locked portion and a pressing portion provided on the leaf spring portion, the tape cutter body has a first engaging portion that engages with the engaged portion so as to cover the cutting blade when the cover member advances, and a second engaging portion that engages with the engaged portion so as to expose the cutting blade when the cover member retreats, The distance from the center of the pressing portion to the base end portion is shorter than the distance from the base end portion to the locked portion. Tape cutter.

2. 2. The tape cutter according to claim 1, wherein the center of the pressing portion is located closer to the locked portion than a midpoint of the distance from the base end portion to the locked portion.

3. The tape cutter according to claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring portion is formed facing rearward.

4. The tape cutter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressing portion is formed in an arc shape in a side view.

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