Tape applicator with constant tape tension

Abstract

Tape applicator with a shell having a dispensing aperture, a tape spool with an inner flange having resilient tensioning finger friction elements rotatably engaging the shell's smooth surface to tension the tape being dispensed. The inner surface of a semicylindrical wall of the shell has a spool retaining formation with a retaining rib having a tapered end to facilitate engaging an inner surface of the inner flange of the spool. The inner flange has a cutoff portion for mounting the inner surface of the spool into the spool retaining formation. A tape applicator formation of the shell has a pair of opposite planar surfaces creating a planar tape path for reducing tape folding during dispensing, and a tape retaining formation with a hooked ridge. The spool has an indexing slot and a concave hub.

Description

TAPE APPLICATOR WITH CONSTANT TAPE TENSION

[0001] This application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2024900078 filed 12 January 2024, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Field of the invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to applicators and / or dispensers and in particular to tape applicators and / or dispensers.

[0003] The invention has been developed primarily as a tape applicator for applying PTFE tape and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.Background of the invention

[0004] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should not be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0005] Dispensable tapes are often wound in spools for transporting, distributing and to enable application to an item. When applying tape to an item, a user needs to manually hold the spool and apply the correct amount of tension on the tape while it is unwound from the spool and applied to the item. It may therefore be difficult for a user to effectively apply tape to an item with the correct amount of tension, resulting in the tape being tangled, loose, overstretched and / or folded during application. This issue is particularly common with soft and delicate tapes, such as Polytetrafluoroethylene tape (PTFE tape), commonly called Teflon tape, which is often used in plumbing applications for sealing pipe threads. Even experienced users may find difficulty in applying PTFE tape quickly and effectively. PTFE tape is often sold in simple mass-produced spools withing a housing or shell. These spools are low in cost but provide no tensioning or applicator functionality.

[0006] Some known tape dispensers include mechanisms to create tension on the tape during application. However, these mechanisms are often complex, consisting of multiple interacting parts, prone to jamming and therefore unreliable. Furthermore, this complexity adds to the production cost and may require extra components and production steps that cannot be readily mechanized. Due to the increased cost, these types of dispensers are often unable to compete with traditional low-cost tape spools, such as PTFE tape spools.

[0007] Further, some known tape dispensers may generate uneven and / or excessive tension on the tape, leading to stretching and / or tearing. They may also lack adequate applicator functionality, leading to twisting, curling and / or folding of the tape. Moreover, because the distance between a dispenser and a workpiece can change during use, tape tension is generally not adequately controlled.

[0008] One known type of tape dispenser is taught in United States patent No.9,061 ,854. This tape dispenser includes an indexing ring having a ratchet mechanism that provides tension on the tape. Alternating indentations and ridges on the indexing ring cooperate with a protrusion on the spool such that movement of the spool is indexed with respect to a casing. One known problem with this mechanism for tape dispensing is the discontinuous nature of the friction generated by the ratchet mechanism which causes a variable tension being applied on the tape leading to potential incorrect application of the tape to an item. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, such mechanisms are complex and difficult and costly to manufacture.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0010] It is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a tape applicator that is relatively simple to manufacture and that can facilitate application of tape to an item with uniform coverage and tension.

[0011] It is another object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a tape applicator with tensioning and / or applicator functionality with a cost that is comparable with traditional low-cost tape spools.Summary of the invention

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape applicator comprising: a shell having a dispensing aperture; and a tape spool having at least one resilient friction element, the tape spool being rotatably engageable with the shell such that the at least one resilient friction element slidably engages a smooth surface of the shell to create substantially constant tension on tape being dispensed through the dispensing aperture.

[0013] Preferably, the resilient friction element comprises a tensioning finger integrally formed on the tape spool.

[0014] The tensioning finger preferably comprises a protrusion for increasing frictional engagement with the shell.

[0015] The tape spool preferably comprises at least three resilient friction elements.

[0016] Preferably, the shell comprises a spool retaining formation engageable with a surface of the tape spool for retaining the tape spool.

[0017] The spool retaining formation is preferably engageable with an inner surface of an inner flange of the tape spool.

[0018] Preferably, the inner flange comprises a cut-off portion to facilitate mounting the inner surface of the tape spool into engagement with the spool retaining formation during assembly.

[0019] The at least one resilient friction element preferably extends from the inner flange of the tape spool.

[0020] Preferably, the shell comprises a semicylindrical wall and the spool retaining formation is formed on an inner surface of the semicylindrical wall.

[0021] The spool retaining formation preferably comprises a retaining rib extending circumferentially along the inner surface of the semicylindrical wall.

[0022] In some embodiments, the retaining rib extends helically along the inner surface of the semicylindrical wall.

[0023] Preferably, the retaining rib comprises a tapered end to facilitate entering into engagement with the inner surface of the tape spool during assembly.

[0024] The dispensing aperture is preferably formed on the semicylindrical wall.

[0025] The shell preferably further comprises a tape applicator formation having a pair of opposite planar surfaces extending from corresponding opposite edges of the dispensing aperture thereby defining a substantially planar tape path for reducing the likelihood of folds forming in the tape while tape is dispensed.

[0026] Preferably, the tape applicator formation comprises a stabilizing edge to facilitate supporting an item against the stabilizing edge and a portion of an outer surface of the shell, thereby stabilizing the tape applicator against the item during use.

[0027] The tape path defined by the tape applicator formation preferably extends from the dispensing aperture in a direction substantially tangential to an inner surface of the shell.

[0028] Preferably, the tape applicator formation comprises a tape retaining formation projecting from one of the planar surfaces towards the other one of the planar surfaces.

[0029] The tape retaining formation preferably comprises a hooked ridge projecting from an edge of one of the planar surfaces and extending along the direction of the tape path.

[0030] Preferably, the tape retaining formation is resiliently biased against the other one of the planar surfaces.

[0031] The tape spool preferably comprises an outer flange having an indexing slot to facilitate viewing of an amount of tape stored in the tape spool.

[0032] Preferably, the tape spool comprises a spool hub with a concave surface to facilitate storage of the tape.

[0033] The shell preferably comprises a bearing formation rotatably engageable with the spool.

[0034] Preferably, the bearing formation comprises a hollow cylinder.

[0035] The shell is preferably integrally formed.

[0036] Preferably, the tape spool is integrally formed.

[0037] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape applicator kit, the kit comprising: a shell having a dispensing aperture; and a tape spool having at least one resilient friction element, the tape spool being rotatably engaged with the shell such that the at least one resilient friction element slidably engages a smooth surface of the shell to create substantially constant tension on tape being dispensed through the dispensing aperture.

[0038] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape spool comprising at least one resilient friction element, wherein the tape spool is rotatably engageable with a shell having a dispensing aperture such that at least one resilient friction element slidably engages a smooth surface of the shell to create substantially constant tension on tape being dispensed through the dispensing aperture.

[0039] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in aninclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.Brief description of the drawings

[0040] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tape applicator according to the invention;

[0042] Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the shell of the tape applicator of Figure 1 ;

[0043] Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the shell of the tape applicator of Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 4 is a close-up view of a tape applicator formation of the shell of Figure 1 ;

[0045] Figure 5 is a front perspective view of the tape spool of the tape applicator of Figure 1 ;

[0046] Figure 6 is a side view of the tape spool of Figure 5;

[0047] Figure 7 is a side perspective view of the tape spool of Figure 5;

[0048] Figure 8 is a side perspective view of the tape spool of Figure 5 shown with tape wound on the spool; and

[0049] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 shown in use, with tape being applied to an item.Detailed description of the embodiments

[0050] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout. In the following description, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein have been omitted for conciseness and clarity.

[0051] Referring to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figure 1 , there is shown a tape applicator 1 comprising a shell 2 and a tape spool 3. The shell 2 has a dispensing aperture 22 for dispensing tape that is wound on the tape spool.

[0052] As best shown in Figures 5 to 7, the tape spool 3 has at least one resilient friction element in the form of three equally spaced tensioning fingers 31 . The tape spool is rotatably engageable with shell 2 such that the tensioning fingers 31 slidably frictionally engage the shell 2 to create tension on the tape when it is dispensed through the dispensing aperture 22.

[0053] Referring now to Figure 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the three tensioning fingers 31 are integrally formed and extend from an inner flange 32 of the tape spool. Each tensioning finger 31 comprises a protrusion 33 for increasing frictional engagement with the shell. The tape spool 3 has a centrally located spool hub 34 for rotatable engagement with a bearing formation 21 centrally located on the shell 2.

[0054] Looking now to Figure 2, and with further reference to Figure 6, the shell 2 comprises a spool retaining formation in the form of a retaining rib 23 radially extending from an inner surface 24 of a semicylindrical inner wall 25 of the shell 2. The retaining rib 23 extends along the inner surface 24 of the semicylindrical wall 25 and may include opposed tapered ends 231 . When the tape spool 3 is engaged with the shell 2 (see Figure 6), the retaining rib 23 abuttingly engages an inner surface 321 of the inner flange 32 of the tape spool 3 to retain the tape spool in position. To allow this engagement, the inner flange 32 of shell 2 includes a cut-off portion 322 to allow entry of the retaining rib 23 and engagement with the inner surface 321 upon depression and relative rotation. The tapered ends 231 may assist in engaging anedge of the cut-off portion 322 with the retaining rib 23 to facilitate threading the retaining rib 23 through the cut-off portion 322. The retaining rib extends substantially parallel to an inner shell base 26 of the shell 2 to ensure flat engagement with the inner surface 321 of the inner flange 32. In alternative embodiments, the retaining rib may also extend helically along the inner surface 24 of the semicylindrical wall 25 to further facilitate mounting the tape spool into engagement with the shell. The circumferential length of the cut-off portion 322 should be substantially smaller than the length of the retaining rib 23, such that the retaining rib is not able to easily pass though the cut-off portion without force application.

[0055] When the tape applicator is assembled, as shown in Figure 1 , the spool 3 is retained within the shell 2 and the protrusions 33 of the tensioning fingers 31 engage the inner shell base 26 of the shell 2, such that the tensioning fingers are flexed to provide resilient bias against the inner shell base 26. The flat engagement of the retaining rib 23 with the inner surface 321 of the inner flange 32 ensures a substantially consistent friction is provided by the tensioning fingers 31 . The resilient bias provided by the tensioning fingers and the shape of the protrusions 33 are configured to provide a pre-determined amount of frictional resistance to the rotation of the spool 3.

[0056] In use, tape would be normally pre-wound on the spool hub 34, as shown for example in Figure 8. One end of the tape is threaded through the dispensing aperture 22 of shell 2 such that pulling of tape through the dispensing aperture causes rotation of the spool 3 relative to the shell 2. Because of the frictional resistance provided by the tensioning fingers, a pulling force needs to be applied on the tape to cause rotation of the spool. Therefore, the resistance created by the tensioning fingers 31 creates tension on the tape as it is drawn out through the dispensing aperture. It is important to note that while the tensioning fingers are configured to provide this tension, the pulling force required is not so great as to substantially deform the tape.

[0057] To assemble the tape spool 3 with the shell 2, the spool hub 34 is axially aligned with the bearing formation 21 of the shell 2, and force is applied on the spoolagainst the shell while it is rotated such that a leading edge 323 of the cut-off portion 322 is flexed to allow the retaining rib 23 to engage a trailing edge 324 of the cut-off portion 322. By maintaining force on the spool while the spool is rotated, a tapered end 231 of the retaining rib 23 is threaded through the cut-off portion 322 and the inner flange 32 of the tape spool 3 is moved to a position between the retaining rib 23 and the inner shell base 26. Usually, the spool 3 is rotated one full turn in a counterclockwise or counterclockwise direction. As a result, the retaining rib 23 is slidably engaged with the inner surface 321 of the inner flange 32 and the tape spool 3 is retained in the shell while the tensioning fingers 31 are resiliently biased against the inner shell base 26. As discussed above, the resilient bias of the tensioning fingers 31 against the inner shell base 26 creates frictional resistance to the rotation of the spool 3 on the bearing formation 21 .

[0058] Advantageously, the amount of force required to depress the spool enough to flex the inner flange 32 of the spool 3 and allow the trailing edge 324 of the cut-off portion 322 to move below the retaining rib is controlled by varying the length of the cut-off portion 322. A spool with a longer cut-off portion will be easier to flex requiring less force whilst a spool with a shorter cut-off portion will be harder to flex and will require more force.

[0059] The process of removing the spool from the shell to disassemble the tape applicator 1 is similar to the assembly process except that an outward force is applied to the spool while the spool is rotated until a trailing edge 324 of the cut-off portion 322 engages the retaining rib 23. By maintaining force on the spool while the spool is rotated, one of the tapered ends 231 of the retaining rib 23 is threaded through the cut-off portion 322 thereby releasing the spool such that the inner flange 32 can move outwardly away from the inner shell base 26. Usually, the spool 3 should be rotated one full turn in a counterclockwise or counterclockwise direction to disassemble the tape applicator 1 .

[0060] The retaining rib 23 has a generally smooth lower surface and the inner flange surface is also generally smooth so that inner flange 32 slides with respect to the retaining rib 23 when the spool 3 is rotated. Advantageously, the retaining rib 23 mayalso provide reinforcement of the shell to provide structural rigidity without the penalty of increased material cost.

[0061] The tensioning fingers 31 are designed to smoothly, gently, but firmly, control the tension on the tape during application. As best shown in Figure 5, the tensioning fingers 31 are preferably located about halfway between an edge of the tape hub 34 and an outer edge of the inner flange 32, which is approximately the average height of a wound tape stack. The protrusions 33 on the tensioning fingers may be configured to provide a desired amount of frictional resistance. In a preferred embodiment, the protrusions 33 may be in the form of spoon-shaped friction surfaces configured to slide in an even and controlled manner across a smooth inner surface of the inner shell base 26.

[0062] The spooned-shaped friction surfaces may advantageously be positioned in the inner flange 32 approximately in line with a direction of the tension on the tape, which helps mediate the force needed to begin spool movement. That is, the location of the tensioning fingers defines the leverage force produced by the friction of the tensioning fingers against the inner shell base 26 with respect to the centre of rotation of the spool. This leverage also defines the amount of tension provided by each tensioning finger to achieve a desired frictional drag. If the tensioning fingers are placed close to the centre, the tensioning force needs to be higher to account for the lost leverage. However, particularly with components made out of plastics materials, a higher tensioning force can lead to binding of the tensioning fingers, affecting correct tensioning. It is therefore preferable to place the tensioning fingers approximately at a middle portion of the inner flange, such that the amount of tension required by each tensioning finger is not excessively high, thereby reducing the likelihood of binding and also delivering more consistent tape tensioning throughout the full roll of tape.

[0063] In other embodiments, the number of tensioning fingers can be varied depending upon the properties of the tape. Thicker or wider tape may require more tension to correctly apply to an item, such as the threads of a pipe. Accordingly, different tape spools 3 can be provided for different tape materials, types, sizes and / or grades. The location, shape and quantity of tensioning fingers 31 should beconfigured to allow the spool to rotate with a consistent frictional drag and dispense tape with the desired tape tension, but without significant stretch and / or tearing.

[0064] As best seen in Figures 1 , 2 and 3, the shell 2 may include a tape applicator formation 27 having a pair of opposite planar surfaces 271 , 272 extending from corresponding opposite edges 273, 274 of the dispensing aperture 22. The opposite planar surfaces 271 , 272 support the tape as it is dispensed and define a substantially planar tape path 275 for reducing the likelihood of folds forming in the tape while tape is dispensed. The tape applicator formation 27 also includes a stabilizing edge 276 to facilitate supporting an item 4 against the stabilizing edge and a portion of an outer surface of the shell, as shown in Figure 9. The tape applicator formation 27 therefore allows stabilizing the tape applicator against the item 4 during use.

[0065] The tape path 275 defined by the tape applicator formation 27 may advantageously extend from the dispensing aperture 22 in a direction substantially tangential to the inner surface of the semicylindrical wall 24. This creates a smooth travel path for the tape by maintaining it substantially in a tangent with the circumference of the tape wound in the spool hub 34, which reduces any significant pressures, turns or obstructions until the point where the tape contacts the item 4. This maintains the tape in a substantially undamaged and unobstructed condition, such that the only significant tension on the tape is due to the frictional resistance on the spool 3 generated by the friction of the tensioning fingers 31 sliding against the shell 2.

[0066] In contrast, other tape dispensers or applicators may have a tape path that extends substantially radially from the tape spool. It will be appreciated that such tape paths result in unnecessary turns and / or obstructions on the tape as it is dispensed. This may lead to damage on the tape and may cause difficulty in applying the tape with the correct amount of tension.

[0067] The tape applicator formation 27 may further incorporate a tape retaining formation in the form of a hooked ridge 277 projecting from one of the planar surfaces 271 towards the other one of the planar surfaces 272. The hooked ridge277 projects from an edge 278 of one of the planar surfaces and extends along said edge in the direction of the tape path 275. The hooked ridge 277 can be resiliently biased against one of the planar surfaces 271 , 272 to facilitate insertion of tape into the tape applicator formation 27. A portion of tape can be laterally pushed against the hooked ridge 277 such that the hooked ridge at least partially separates from the planar surface 272 to allow the tape to be inserted past the hooked ridge 277 and into the tape applicator formation 27. The hooked ridge may also be manually opened or separated from the planar surface 272 to allow the tape to be inserted past the hooked ridge and into the tape applicator formation. Once inserted into the tape applicator formation 27, the tape is held into position and isolated from the spool thanks to the hooked ridge 277.

[0068] Returning to Figure 1 , the bearing formation 21 comprises a hollow cylinder 211 . During operation, a user’s finger or thumb can be inserted in the hollow cylinder 211 to hold and control the tape applicator 1 . The hollow cylinder is designed to isolate the user’s finger and any user forces from the rotating tape spool 3, to prevent interference with the tape tensioning functionality of the tape applicator 1 . The hollow cylinder 211 may therefore be configured such that a user’s finger inserted therethrough does not normally contact the tape spool.

[0069] With reference to Figure 9, in use where the tape applicator 1 is used to dispense and apply a PTFE tape to an application surface in the form of a pipe thread, a user holds an end of a pre-pulled portion of tape between their thumb and the application surface of an item 4, such as the surface of a threaded pipe end. The user then positions the tape applicator 1 such that the item 4 is supported between the stabilizing edge 276 and a portion of the outer surface of the shell, as shown. The user then places a finger or thumb through the hollow cylinder 211 and rotates the tape applicator 1 around item 4 such that tape 5 is pulled through the dispensing aperture and applied to the application surface. Advantageously, since the tape applicator is supported and stabilized with respect to the item 4, it is maintained at a substantially constant distance from the surface.

[0070] Controlling the distance between the item 4 and the tape applicator 1 has been found to be advantageous to dispense tape with a consistent tension. Thus,thanks to the applicator formation 27 and its stabilizing edge 276, a user can support the tape applicator 1 against the item 4 such that the tension on the tape is not significantly varied during application due to changes in the relative position of the tape applicator 1 with respect to the item 4. Further, since the spool 3 is able to rotate in a smooth but controlled manner due to the constant frictional drag provided by the tensioning fingers, the tape 5 is applied to the application surface with a substantially constant tension. The tape applicator 1 thus facilitates the application of tape to an item with uniform coverage and the correct amount of tension. As a result, a smooth band of tape is applied with an even and consistent tension.

[0071] When a desired amount of tape has been applied to the application surface of the item 4 an additional amount of tape may be pulled from the applicator to facilitate cutting the tape. In the case of PTFE tape, the tape may simply be manually broken with fingers. The additional amount of tape may then be manually smoothed over the application surface to complete the tape application.

[0072] It will be appreciated that the shape and size of the applicator formation 27 can influence how the tape is dispensed and applied to an item. For example, the configuration of the applicator formation will affect the direction with which tape is dispensed from the tape applicator 1 . In the preferred embodiment, the configuration of the tape applicator formation has been selected to facilitate application of tape to an item with the correct amount of tension. Particularly, in the preferred embodiment the shape and size of the tape applicator formation 27 is such that it facilitates a smooth travel path for the tape by maintaining the tape substantially in a tangent with the circumference of the tape wound in the spool hub 34. As discussed above, this reduces any significant pressures, turns or obstructions on the tape which could influence the tension with which the tape is applied.

[0073] Referring to Figures 5 to 8, the tape spool may comprise an outer flange 35 having an indexing slot 351 . The indexing slot 351 can serve as a viewing aperture to facilitate viewing of an amount of tape stored in the tape spool. A user can therefore quickly gauge the amount of remaining tape without dismantling the device. Additionally, the indexing slot 351 may serve as an alignment mark used during the process of assembling the device. For example, the indexing slot 351 and the cut-offportion 322 may be configured such that when the indexing slot is aligned with the applicator formation 27, one of the leading or trailing edge 323, 324 of the cut-off portion aligns with one of the tapered ends 231 of the retaining rib 23, thereby facilitating alignment of the spool with the shell during assembly. Further, the Indexing slot 351 may serve to hold an end of tape to facilitate assembly. For example, before assembly a portion of tape may be secured to the outer flange 35 by passing the portion of tape through the indexing slot, such that an end of the tape hangs out of the indexing slot 351 . Once the spool 3 is securely engaged with the shell 2 by following the procedure described above, a user can rotate the spool to align the indexing slot with the base of the tape applicator formation 27. Once aligned, the end of the tape may be grasped and pulled out of the indexing slot and through the hooked ridge 277, as described above. As the end of the tape may become damaged when passing through the hooked ridge 277, it may be desirable to pull a portion of tape out of the tape applicator 1 until the tape is undamaged, and cut-off the damaged portion.

[0074] As best seen in Figure 7 the spool hub 34 comprises a concave or dished surface 341 to facilitate storage of the tape. When the tape is wound onto the spool, it should preferably fill the whole width of the spool hub 34 to substantially prevent the tape from falling between the already wound tape and the spool flanges, and becoming fouled. When the tape is being wound on the spool, either the spool or the tape stream must be moved from side to side in order to achieve this. As the tape is wound onto the spool in this manner, the centre of the wound tape stack is naturally going to be higher than the outer sides, resulting in the wound tape forming a convex or “domed” outer surface. During use, this convex surface may cause the tape to slip from the wound tape stack and become trapped between the wound tape stack and one of the spool flanges. The concave surface 341 of the spool hub 34 compensates for this, resulting in a wound tape stack that is either flat or concave on its top, as best shown in Figure 8.

[0075] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, it can be appreciated the concave or dished surface 341 provides a bed shape for the tape. The tape 5 should be wound to the spool 3 so that the top layers of the tape mirror the concave or dished surface 341 in the spool hub, and so that the sides of the wound tape lay against the respectiveinner surfaces of the spool flanges 32, 35. As discussed above, this configuration substantially prevents the top tape winding from falling between the already wound tape and the spool flanges, which may require disassembling and rearranging the tape 5 in the tape applicator 1 . As best shown in Figure 8, the concave surface formed by the top layers of the tape 5 naturally has a tendency to direct the tape towards the centre as tape is unwound and thus ameliorate this problem.

[0076] The shell 2 and the tape spool 3 may each be integrally formed. The tape applicator 1 therefore only has two components, providing a device that is of relatively simple construction and low manufacturing cost. Each of the shell 2 and the tape spool 3 may be made out of a plastics or metallic material.

[0077] It will be appreciated that both the shell 2 and the tape spool 3 can be designed to be made out of approximately the same amount and type of material as other tape dispensers that provide no tensioning or applicator functionality.Accordingly, the tape applicator 1 could be produced using substantially the same machinery and the same amount of labor as other tape dispensers. The production cost of the tape applicator 1 may therefore be comparable to other tape dispensers whilst providing significant advantages over them.

[0078] The tape applicator may be provided in its assembled form, or it may be provided as a kit, with the shell and tape spool provided separately such that a user can assemble the tape applicator using the procedure described above. Moreover, separate tape spools with pre-wound tapes may be available that are engageable with shell 2.

[0079] As described above, the preferred embodiment of the invention is intended to dispense and apply tape to a surface. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may also be used solely for dispensing tape, if required.

[0080] Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A tape applicator comprising: a shell having a dispensing aperture; and a tape spool having at least one resilient friction element, the tape spool being rotatably engageable with the shell such that the at least one resilient friction element slidably engages a smooth surface of the shell to create substantially constant tension on tape being dispensed through the dispensing aperture.

2. A tape applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one resilient friction element comprises a tensioning finger integrally formed on the tape spool.

3. A tape applicator according to claim 2, wherein the tensioning finger comprises a protrusion for increasing frictional engagement with the shell.

4. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape spool comprises at least three resilient friction elements.

5. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell comprises a spool retaining formation engageable with a surface of the tape spool for retaining the tape spool.

6. A tape applicator according to claim 5, wherein the spool retaining formation is engageable with an inner surface of an inner flange of the tape spool.

7. A tape applicator according to claim 6, wherein the inner flange comprises a cutoff portion to facilitate mounting the inner surface of the tape spool into engagement with the spool retaining formation during assembly.

8. A tape applicator according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the at least one resilient friction element extends from the inner flange of the tape spool.

9. A tape applicator according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the shell comprises a semicylindrical wall and the spool retaining formation is formed on an inner surface of the semicylindrical wall.

10. A tape applicator according to claim 9, wherein the spool retaining formation comprises a retaining rib extending circumferentially along the inner surface of the semicylindrical wall.11 .A tape applicator according to claim 10, wherein the retaining rib comprises a tapered end to facilitate entering into engagement with the inner surface of the tape spool during assembly.

12. A tape applicator according to any one of claims 9 to 11 , wherein the dispensing aperture is formed on the semicylindrical wall.

13. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell further comprises a tape applicator formation having a pair of opposite planar surfaces extending from corresponding opposite edges of the dispensing aperture thereby defining a substantially planar tape path for reducing the likelihood of folds forming in the tape while tape is dispensed.

14. A tape applicator according to claim 13, wherein the tape applicator formation comprises a stabilizing edge to facilitate supporting an item against the stabilizing edge and a portion of an outer surface of the shell, thereby stabilizing the tape applicator against the item during use.

15. A tape applicator according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the tape path defined by the tape applicator formation extends from the dispensing aperture in a direction substantially tangential to an inner surface of the shell.

16. A tape applicator according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the tape applicator formation comprises a tape retaining formation projecting from one of the planar surfaces towards the other one of the planar surfaces.

17. A tape applicator according to claim 16, wherein the tape retaining formation comprises a hooked ridge projecting from an edge of one of the planar surfaces and extending along the direction of the tape path.

18. A tape applicator according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the tape retaining formation is resiliently biased against the other one of the planar surfaces.

19. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape spool comprises an outer flange having an indexing slot to facilitate viewing of an amount of tape stored in the tape spool.

20. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape spool comprises a spool hub with a concave surface to facilitate storage of the tape.21 .A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell comprises a bearing formation rotatably engageable with the spool.

22. A tape applicator according to claim 21 , wherein the bearing formation comprises a hollow cylinder.

23. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell is integrally formed.

24. A tape applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape spool is integrally formed.

25. A kit for assembling a tape applicator, the kit comprising: a shell having a dispensing aperture; and a tape spool having at least one resilient friction element, the tape spool being rotatably engaged with the shell such that the at least one resilient friction element slidably engages a smooth surface of the shell to create substantially constant tension on tape being dispensed through the dispensing aperture.

26. A tape spool according to any one of the preceding claims.

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