Tape dispenser

Abstract

By utilizing the adhesive properties of the adhesive tape, the tape is prevented from unwinding, and the support structure for the movable member that presses the adhesive tape against the tape-fastening member is simplified. [Solution] The tape cutter of this disclosure comprises a main body, a tape cutting blade, a tape fastening member, a movable member, and a biasing member. The tape fastening member is supported by the main body and fastens the adhesive tape by receiving the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape. The movable member is movably supported by the main body so as to abut against and separate from the tape fastening member, and is biased by an elastic restoring force so as to press against the tape fastening member. The biasing member is supported by the main body and biases the movable member by an elastic restoring force so as to press against the tape fastening member. The movable member has holes or grooves at both ends. The main body further has a pair of projections that enter into the holes or grooves of the movable member, thereby movably supporting the movable member.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a tape cutter, and particularly to a technique for preventing the cut tape from being rewound.

Background Art

[0002] Conventional tape cutters have the drawback that the cut adhesive tape is rewound and sticks to the surface of the adhesive tape, making it difficult to peel off (see the abstract of Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a tape cutter aimed at solving this problem.

[0003] The tape cutter disclosed in Patent Document 1 forms a cushion mounting plate by making two cuts in the tape mounting cylinder of the tape cutter, mounts a cushion on the cushion mounting plate, and is configured to give an appropriate contact resistance between the inner circumference of the tape and the cushion, so as to solve the rewinding problem (see the abstract of the same document). For this reason, since a resistance equivalent to the resistance that prevents the rewinding of the tape also acts when pulling out the tape, there is a problem that an extra force is required for the tape pulling operation.

[0004] The tape cutter disclosed in Patent Document 2 was invented by the same inventor as the present application to solve this problem. This tape cutter has a pressing piece that presses the inner peripheral surface of an annular tape body formed by winding an adhesive tape in a ring shape, and is configured such that the pressing piece separates from the inner peripheral surface of the annular tape body when pulling out the adhesive tape.

[0005] The same inventor as the present application considered whether it was possible to create a mechanism that prevents the rewinding of the adhesive tape by utilizing the adhesiveness of the adhesive tape instead of the method of preventing its rotation by pressing the annular tape body. As a result, the tape cutters disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 5 were devised.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-140871 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7076661 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7418643 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 7429821 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 7429822 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The inventors of this invention further considered whether the structure in which the main body movably supports the movable member that presses the adhesive tape against the tape fastening member could be made simpler than the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 5. The present invention was made based on the inventors' awareness of this problem, and aims to provide a tape cutter that prevents the tape from rewinding by utilizing the adhesive properties of the adhesive tape, and also simplifies the support structure of the movable member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of the present invention is a tape cutter comprising a main body, a tape cutting blade, a tape fastening member, and a movable member. The main body has a tape holder that detachably and rotatably holds an annular tape body formed by winding adhesive tape in a ring shape. The tape cutting blade is supported by the main body and cuts the adhesive tape pulled out from the annular tape body. The tape fastening member is supported by the main body and fastens the adhesive tape by receiving the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape. The movable member is movably supported by the main body so as to abut against and separate from the tape fastening member and is biased by an elastic restoring force so as to press against the tape fastening member. The tape fastening member and the movable member are positioned to sandwich each other midway along the path of the adhesive tape pulled out from the annular tape body to the tape cutting blade, and the tape fastening member is located on the side of the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape. The tape cutter further comprises a biasing member. The biasing member is supported by the main body and biases the movable member by the elastic restoring force such that the movable member presses against the tape fastening member. The movable member also has holes or grooves at both ends. The main body further has a pair of projections that enter the holes or grooves of the movable member, thereby supporting the movable member so that it can move.

[0009] In this configuration, when pulling the adhesive tape from the annular tape body for use, the tension applied to the adhesive tape pushes the movable member away from the tape-holding member. As a result, the adhesive tape separates from the tape-holding member, allowing for smooth pulling of the adhesive tape. After the adhesive tape is cut by the tape-cutting blade, there is no longer any tension on the pulled-out adhesive tape, so the movable member presses the adhesive tape against the tape-holding member due to the elastic restoring force of the biasing member. Since the tape-holding member is located on the side of the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape, the pressed adhesive tape adheres to the tape-holding member. This prevents the adhesive tape from unwinding. The movable member has holes or grooves at both ends, and a pair of projections on the main body enter these holes or grooves, thereby supporting the movable member movably on the main body, resulting in a simpler support structure for the movable member.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention is a tape cutter according to the first aspect, wherein the main body is double-openable and closable, the movable member can be attached and detached by opening and closing the portion having the pair of protrusions, and the annular tape can be replaced while the movable member remains supported by opening and closing the portion that holds the annular tape while keeping the portion having the pair of protrusions closed.

[0011] With this configuration, the annular tape can be replaced while the movable member remains supported by the main body, making it easy to replace the annular tape.

[0012] A third aspect of the present invention is a tape cutter according to the second aspect, wherein the main body further includes a member for releasingly holding the closed state of the portion having the pair of protrusions, and a member for releasingly holding the closed state of the portion holding the annular tape body.

[0013] With this configuration, the closed state of the part supporting the movable member is releasably maintained, and the closed state of the part holding the annular tape body is also releasably maintained.

[0014] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape cutter according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the hole or the groove of the movable member is the hole, and the movable member has a rotating body rotatably supported by the main body portion.

[0015] According to this configuration, when the adhesive tape is pulled out, the rotating body that presses the pulled-out adhesive tape rotates. Therefore, the pulling out of the adhesive tape is performed more smoothly.

[0016] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape cutter according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the biasing member is supported by the main body portion, and has a sponge body that biases the movable member by the elastic restoring force of its own compression deformation as the elastic restoring force. According to this configuration, the biasing member is simply configured.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] As described above, according to the present invention, there is realized a tape cutter that utilizes the adhesiveness of the adhesive tape to prevent the tape from rewinding and simplifies the support structure of the movable member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a tape cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention while holding an adhesive tape. [Figure 2] It is a photograph of a prototype of the tape cutter of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a photograph of the prototype of FIG. 2 in a state where it is developed and the adhesive tape is removed. [Figure 4] It is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the state when the adhesive tape is pulled out for the tape cutter of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the state when the adhesive tape is not pulled out for the tape cutter of FIG. 1. [Figure 6]It is a front sectional view illustrating the configuration of each part of the tape cutter of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a side sectional view illustrating the state when pulling out the adhesive tape, for the tape cutter according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a side sectional view illustrating the state when not pulling out the adhesive tape, for the tape cutter of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view illustrating another configuration of the movable member applicable to each embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a tape cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention while holding an adhesive tape. FIG. 2 is a photograph of a prototype of the tape cutter illustrated in FIG. 1. The width of the adhesive tape 5 attached to the prototype is about 5 cm. Both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are expressed with some consideration of perspective. This tape cutter 101 is configured, as an example, as an industrial tape cutter for holding and cutting an industrial adhesive tape. The tape cutter 101 has a main body part 1 and a tape cutting blade 3.

[0020] The main body part 1 has a tape holding body 9 that detachably and rotatably holds an annular tape body 7 around which an adhesive tape 5 is wound. In the illustrated example, the tape holding body 9 forms a cylindrical body and holds the annular tape body 7 by being inserted into the cavity of the annular tape body 7. The cylindrical tape holding body 9 is set to have an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the annular tape body 7, as an example. Thereby, the tape holding body 9 holds the annular tape body 7 with play. The tape cutting blade 3 is supported by the main body part 1 and is fixed to the main body part 1 in the illustrated example. The tape cutting blade 3 is used to cut the adhesive tape 5 pulled out from the annular tape body 7. As an example, the main body part 1 is made of synthetic resin by integral molding, and the tape cutting blade 3 is made of metal.

[0021] The main body 1 supports a pair of tape-fastening members 23 that secure the adhesive tape 5 by receiving the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape 5. In the illustrated example, the tape-fastening members 23 are molded integrally with the main body 1. The main body 1 also supports a movable member 25 that is movable so as to contact and separate from the tape-fastening members 23. In the illustrated example, the movable member 25 is a hollow cylindrical rotating body. A pair of projections 31 formed on the left and right inner walls of the main body 1 enter the hollow portion of the movable member 25, which is a kind of hole. The diameter of the projections 31 is set to be smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow portion of the movable member 25. As a result, the movable member 25 is supported on the main body 1 so as to be movable and rotatable.

[0022] The main body 1 is further supported by a biasing member 33 that biases the movable member 25 so that it presses against the tape-fastening member 23. In the illustrated example, the biasing member 33 is a leaf spring and biases the movable member 25 by its elastic restoring force after bending deformation. The leaf spring constituting the biasing member 33 is made of, for example, metal or synthetic resin. The tape-fastening member 23 and the movable member 25 are positioned to sandwich each other midway along the path of the adhesive tape 5, which is pulled out from the annular tape body 7 and reaches the tape cutting blade 3. The tape-fastening member 23 is located on the adhesive side of the adhesive tape 5, and the movable member 25 is located on the non-adhesive side.

[0023] In the illustrated example, the main body 1 has a tape holder 9, left and right side walls 11, and a head wall 12 connecting them. The tape holder 9 is divided into left and right halves, with the left dividing piece 15 connected to the left side wall 11 and the right dividing piece 17 connected to the right side wall 11. The tape cutting blade 3 is supported by the head wall 12 by being embedded in the head wall 12, leaving its tip exposed. A pair of tape-fastening members 23 protrude from the left and right side walls 11, facing each other. A gap is provided between the pair of tape-fastening members 23 to facilitate the placement of the adhesive tape 5 between the tape-fastening members 23 and the movable member 25. Projections 31 that support the movable member 25 are provided on the left and right side walls 11. The biasing member 33 that biases the movable member 25 has its base end (not shown) supported by the head wall 12.

[0024] In the illustrated example, the main body 1 is configured to be openable and closable. Linear grooves 13 are formed in the main body 1 along the straight connecting portion between the left and right side walls 11 and the head wall 12. Along the connecting portion where the thickness is reduced by the grooves 13, the left and right side walls 11 can be bent or extended relative to the head wall 12, thereby enabling the main body 1 to be opened and closed. Linear grooves 14 are formed in each of the left and right side walls 11 along the straight boundary portion that divides the side wall upper portion 16 and the side wall lower portion 18. Along the boundary portion where the thickness is reduced by the linear grooves 14, the left and right side walls 11 themselves can be opened and closed.

[0025] The left and right divided pieces 15 and 17 of the tape holder 9 are connected to the lower part 18 of the side wall. A pair of tape fastening members 23 are also connected to the lower part 18 of the side wall. A projection 31 that supports the movable member 25 is provided on the upper part 16 of the side wall. The main body 1 is configured to open and close in two ways so that the movable member 25 can be attached and detached by opening the main body 1 along the groove 13, and the annular tape body 7 can be replaced with the movable member 25 still attached by opening the main body 1 only along the groove 14.

[0026] Figure 3 is a photograph of the prototype illustrated in Figure 2, unfolded and with the annular tape body 7 removed. As shown in the illustrated example, the main body 1 (see Figure 1) can be manufactured by integral molding of synthetic resin. In the illustrated example, the main body 1 is not opened along groove 13 (see Figure 1), but only along groove 14 (see Figure 1). That is, the upper part 16 of the side wall remains folded relative to the head wall 12, and only the lower part 18 of the side wall is open relative to the upper part 16 of the side wall. Therefore, the movable member 25 remains attached to the upper part 16 of the side wall.

[0027] Thin-walled portions 19 and 21 are formed at the axial ends of the left and right division pieces 15 and 17 that constitute the tape holder 9, respectively, facing each other. One thin-walled portion 19 is formed such that its inner circumferential surface is recessed at the axial end of the left division piece 15. The other thin-walled portion 21 is formed such that its outer circumferential surface is recessed at the axial end of the right division piece 17. The left division piece 15 and the right division piece 17 are connected to each other with the inner circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 19 and the outer circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 21 rubbing against each other. As a result, the connection between the left division piece 15 and the right division piece 17 is maintained by the frictional force between their rubbing circumferential surfaces. By applying a force exceeding the frictional force with the fingers, the left division piece 15 and the right division piece 17 can be separated from each other.

[0028] Thus, the left-side dividing piece 15 and the right-side dividing piece 17 are detachable from each other. Alternatively, a convex portion and a concave portion may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 19 and the outer circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 21 at corresponding locations, and these can engage to maintain the connection between the left-side dividing piece 15 and the right-side dividing piece 17. When the left-side dividing piece 15 and the right-side dividing piece 17 are connected, a cylindrical tape holder 9 (see Figure 1) is formed. At this time, the main body portion 1 is closed along both groove 13 and groove 14, forming the shape illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0029] As shown in the illustrated example, in order to maintain the folded state of the upper part 16 of the side wall relative to the head wall 12, protruding members 34 and 35 are connected to the left and right upper parts 16 of the side wall, projecting toward each other. In the illustrated example, the protruding members 34 and 35 are molded integrally with the main body 1. For example, thin-walled portions are formed at the tips of the protruding members 34 and 35, similar to the left and right dividing pieces 15 and 17 that constitute the tape holder 9 (not shown), and the protruding members 34 and 35 are connected to each other in a state where these thin-walled portions rub against each other with frictional force. Once the protruding members 34 and 35 are connected to each other as shown in the illustrated example, they cannot get any closer to each other, nor can they move away from each other freely due to frictional force, so the left and right upper parts 16 of the side wall maintain the folded position relative to the head wall 12 at a set angle, as shown in the illustrated example.

[0030] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the tape cutter 101 when the adhesive tape 5 is being pulled out. In the illustrated example, the biasing member 33 that biases the movable member 25 is a leaf spring, and its base end is embedded in the head wall 12. To use the tape cutter 101, the annular tape body 7 is attached to the tape holder 9, and the adhesive tape 5 is pulled out from the annular tape body 7. The pulled-out adhesive tape 5 is passed between the tape stopper member 23 and the movable member 25. The adhesive surface of the adhesive tape 5 passing between the tape stopper member 23 and the movable member 25 faces the tape stopper member 23.

[0031] To use the adhesive tape 5, when the adhesive tape 5 is pulled out in the direction toward the tape cutting blade 3 as shown in the illustrated example, the tension applied to the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 pushes the movable member 25 against the biasing force of the biasing member 33, causing it to separate from the tape-fastening member 23. By attaching the tip of the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 to an object such as the surface of a cardboard box, and while holding the main body 1 in your hand, moving it in the direction toward the area where it was attached, the adhesive tape 5 can be continuously fed out from the annular tape body 7 and continuously attached to the object. In this case as well, the tension of the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 will pull the movable member 25 away from the tape-fastening member 23. When the movable member 25 is separated from the tape-fastening member 23 by the pressure of the adhesive tape 5, the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape 5 is separated from the tape-fastening member 23. Therefore, the pulling out of the adhesive tape 5 is performed smoothly.

[0032] Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the tape cutter 101 when the adhesive tape 5 is not being pulled out. When the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 is cut by the tape cutting blade 3, the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 loses its tension, and the movable member 25 presses the adhesive tape 5 against the tape stopper member 23 due to the biasing force of the biasing member 33. Since the tape stopper member 23 is located on the side of the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape 5, the pressed adhesive tape 5 adheres to the tape stopper member 23. This prevents the adhesive tape 5 from rewinding. When the adhesive tape 5 is pulled out again, as described above, the movable member 25 moves away from the tape stopper member 23, so the adhesive tape 5 separates from the tape stopper member 23, and the state in which the adhesive tape 5 is adhered to the tape stopper member 23 is released. As described above, in the tape cutter 101, by utilizing the adhesive force of the adhesive tape 5, the rewinding of the pulled-out adhesive tape 5 is prevented, and the adhesive tape 5 can be pulled out without encountering resistance that would prevent rewinding.

[0033] Figure 6 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of each part of the tape cutter 101. Figure 6(a) illustrates the support structure of the movable member 25. As already mentioned, the upper part 16 and lower part 18 of the side walls 11 (see Figure 1) of the main body 1 are bendable along the linear groove 14. Similarly, the head wall 12 and the upper part 16 of the side walls of the main body 1 are bendable along the linear groove 13. The projection 31 that supports the movable member 25 by entering the hollow part of the movable member 25 has a spatial clearance between it and the inner wall surface of the hollow part, so the movable member 25 can either come into contact with the tape fastening member 23 or move away from the tape fastening member 23. The projection 31 is connected to the upper part 16 of the side wall. Therefore, by closing the upper part 16 of the side wall to the head wall 12 and opening the lower part 18 of the side wall to the upper part 16 of the side wall, it is possible to replace the annular tape body 7 (see Figure 1) while the movable member 25 is supported by the main body 1.

[0034] Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the protruding members 34 and 35 (see Figure 3). The base ends of the protruding members 34 and 35 are connected to the upper part 16 of the side wall. In the illustrated example, their tips are provided with a convex portion on one end and a concave portion on the other, which engage with each other by frictional force. In this way, the protruding members 34 and 35 are connected to each other.

[0035] Figure 6(c) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the left-side split piece 15 and the right-side split piece 17 that constitute the tape holder 9 (see Figure 1). As already mentioned, the left-side split piece 15 and the right-side split piece 17 each have thin-walled portions 19 and 21 at their opposing axial ends. The left-side split piece 15 and the right-side split piece 17 are detachably connected to each other with the inner circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 19 and the outer circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion 21 rubbing against each other.

[0036] Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a tape cutter according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this tape cutter 102, the biasing member 33 that biases the movable member 25 is a sponge. The sponge is made of a flexible porous synthetic resin, for example, one widely known for use in household kitchens. In the illustrated example, the biasing member 33, which is a sponge, is supported by the main body 1 by being sandwiched between a pair of plate-like bodies 41 that protrude from the bottom surface of the head wall 12 of the main body 1. As an example, the biasing member 33 is fixed to the bottom surface of the head wall 12 with an adhesive. Figure 7 illustrates the state of the tape cutter 102 when the adhesive tape 5 is being pulled out.

[0037] Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the tape cutter 102 when the adhesive tape 5 is not being pulled out. As can be seen from Figures 7 and 8, the biasing member 33, which is made of a sponge body, performs the same function as the biasing member 33, which is made of a leaf spring (see Figures 4 and 5), in biasing the movable member 25 to the tape-stopping member 23, but with a simpler structure.

[0038] Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating another form of the movable member 25 of the tape cutters 101 and 102. The movable member 25 illustrated in Figure 9(a) has grooves 43 formed at both ends in the main axis direction instead of a hollow section. The pair of grooves 43 extend parallel to each other. A pair of projections 31 connected to the main body 1 enter these grooves 43, thereby guiding the movable member 25 in the direction of extension of the grooves 43. In the illustrated example, the projections 31 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape to prevent the movable member 25 from falling off the projections 31 due to rotation around them.

[0039] The movable member 25 illustrated in Figure 9(b) has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. As in this example, the movable member 25 does not have to be cylindrical as long as its rotation is stopped. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 1 Main body, 3 Tape cutting blade, 5 Adhesive tape, 7 Annular tape body, 9 Tape holder, 11 Side wall, 12 Head wall, 13 Groove, 14 Groove, 15 Left side split piece, 16 Upper part of side wall, 17 Right side split piece, 18 Lower part of side wall, 19 Thin-walled section, 21 Thin-walled section, 23 Tape fastening member, 25 Movable member, 31 Projection, 33 Biasing member, 34, 35 Protruding members, 41 Plate-shaped body, 43 Groove, 101, 102 Tape cutter.

Claims

1. It is a tape dispenser, A main body having a tape holder that detachably and rotatably holds an annular tape body, which is made of adhesive tape wound in a ring shape, A tape cutting blade, supported by the main body, cuts the adhesive tape pulled out from the annular tape body, A tape fastening member, supported by the main body and securing the adhesive tape by receiving the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape, A movable member is provided, which is movably supported on the main body so as to abut against and separate from the tape fastening member, and is biased by an elastic restoring force so as to press against the tape fastening member, The tape-fastening member and the movable member are positioned to sandwich each other midway along the path of the adhesive tape, which is pulled out from the annular tape body and reaches the tape-cutting blade, and the tape-fastening member is located on the side of the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape. The tape cutter further comprises a biasing member supported by the main body, which biases the movable member by the elastic restoring force such that the movable member presses against the tape fastening member. The movable member has holes or grooves at both ends, The main body further has a pair of projections that enter the holes or grooves of the movable member, thereby supporting the movable member in a movable manner, in a tape cutter.

2. The main body is double-openable and closable, and the movable member can be attached and detached by opening and closing the portion having the pair of protrusions, and the annular tape body can be replaced while the movable member is supported by opening and closing the portion that holds the annular tape body while keeping the portion having the pair of protrusions closed, as described in claim 1.

3. The tape cutter according to claim 2, wherein the main body further comprises a member that releasably holds the closed state of the portion having the pair of protrusions, and a member that releasably holds the closed state of the portion holding the annular tape body.

4. The hole or groove in the movable member is the hole, The tape cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movable member has a rotating body that is rotatably supported on the main body.

5. The tape cutter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the biasing member is supported by the main body and has a sponge body that biases the movable member by the elastic restoring force of its own compressive deformation.

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